Advertising-sign.



H. M. BLACK.

ADVERTISING SIGN.

APPLICATION man FEB. 18. I913.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

HMBlaclQ.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 00v. WASHINGTON. D. cv

H. M. BLACK.

ADVERTISING SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18. 1913.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

5&

HUGH MILNEE BLACK, OF BRIGHTON, ENGLAND.

ADVERTISING-SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent.v

Patented Sept. 1915.

Application filed February is, leis. Serial No. 749,257.

To all 207mm 112; may concern Be it known that I, HUGH MILNER BLAoK, Optician, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Panta Rei, 3, lVindlesham Gardens, Brighton, Sussex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Advertising- Signs for Advertising or Demonstration Purposes or for Use with ProjectionLanterns and the like of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means which will cause letters, figures, representations, objects or the like to be brought gra dually or suddenly into view, or which will cause the reverse effect to take place when the said letters or other objects or representations will appear to be gradually diminishing in size until they become very small or may actually disappear fromview. These means may be applied with special advantage to advertising purposes.

My invention will be more fully described by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein is shown by way of illustration one practical form or embodiment thereof although it must be understood that my invention is capable of being carried out in other and different ways.

Figure 1 of the drawings is an enlarged front elevation of an advertising device in which the desired effect is produced by a series of plates on which the advertising let ters or their component parts are formed and to which motion is simultaneously imparted upwardly, downwardly and laterally by suitable mechanism. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan and Fig. 8 an enlarged end elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a View of the stationary back plate on which the center parts of the letters are formed. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the upwardly moving plate. Fig. 6 denotes the downwardly moving plate. Fig. 7 indicates one of the laterally moving plates and Fig. 8 the other laterally moving plate.

The desired effect may be produced by employing devices suitably actuated for imparting motion to the parts of the letters or the like, so as to cause the component parts of such letters or the like to move simultaneously in the different directions desired. A convenient method of producing this efiect consists in extending all or many of the letters of a word or words or the like by simultaneously moving upward and said result.

Where alphabetical letters are to bee panded or contracted it is simply necessary to have a stationary black or otherwise colored center and by such movement or movements as aforesaid to cover or expose a white alphabetical letter bordering the center part or parts. The plates may be constructed of thin sheet metal stenciled out, or the component parts may be marked on to whole sheets of talc, mica, celluloid, glass or any other suitable material.

Any such device will be attractive by daylight and may also be illuminated at night from the rear or front by suitable means.

The position of the plates and the means for communicating motion thereto as also the number of plates employed may be varied according to the nature of the advertisement or the effect required to be produced but in the arrangement shown in the drawings two pairs of moving plates are shown;

one pair a and Z) simultaneously moving laterally in opposite directions and the other pair 0 and (Z having a simultaneous upward and downward movement imparted to them respectively so as to gradually cover or exnose the letters formed on the stationary back plate 6. On such back plate are formed the center portions of the letters while the letter formations on the moving plates at b 0 and d are of such shape and the plates are moved inwardly, that is as they approach the said center portion they will cause a diminution in size of the respective letters or characters constituting the advertisement: and on the other hand as they are moved outwardly from such stationary center portions they will cause an apparent gradual expansion or growth of the said letters or characters. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for actuating the said moving plates. In the construction shown in the drawings the plates are actuated by means of cams a Z) c and (Z mounted upon a shaft f rotated by clockwork mechanism. The front plate a is attached to the horizontal member of a metal frame g which'is cut from sheet metal of the shape shown.

At the top and near each end, the frame 9' is furnished with integral lugs h to which are fixed studs h carrying loose bowls t The laterally moving plate 6 Whose frame g is similarly constructed to that of the plate a has a movement opposite to the movement of plate a imparted to it'by means of the cam b which strikes the bowl 7) fixed to its supporting frame'g the springs g returning the plate to its original position. The, plate 6 is fitted at the top near the ends with fixed studs carrying loose bowls 7" arranged to slide in slots 1" in guide brackets s.

The plate 0 which when moved upwardly by the springs U is adapted to cover the lower portions of the letters isattached to the metal frame ("3 fitted at the ends with small loose grooved bowls 23 adapted to slide vertically upon the guide bracket a. The plate is depressed by the cam 0 striking against the bowl a loosely mounted upon a stud fixed about midway of the frame and returned by springs o. The frame to to which the plate d is attached is similarly provided with groovedbowls to run against the side edge of the brackets to and is raised by the cam (Z striking against the loose bowl w fitted on a stud about midway of the frame the springs g effecting its return.

The whole of the fittings may be mounted in front of and fixed to a rectangular wood frame divided by a partition y to provide a compartment at the back for fixing therein the clockwork mechanism. This frame may then be placed in a suitable external casing with a glass front to prevent ingress of dust or dirt.

"What I do claim as my invention and dcsire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a display plate stationary therein, horizontal and vertical guides in the casing, laterally movable plates provided with means for slidably engaging the horizontal guides and adapted when moved to vary the apparent size of the display on the display plate, means for simultaneously moving the laterally movable plates in opposite directions, vertically movable plates slidably engaging the vertical guides and adapted when moved to vary the apparentsize of the display on the display plate, and means for simultaneously moving the vertically movable plates in opposite directions.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing, a stationary display plate therein, a pair of vertically movable plates and a pair of laterally movable plates slidably mounted in the casing and adapted when moved to vary the apparent size of the display on the display plate, and means for simultaneously moving the vertically movable plates in opposite directions 'and the laterally movable plates in opposite r1; MILNER BLACK.

Vfitnesses H. D. JAMnsoN, C. P. LrDDoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

